A1 Wildwater Rafting, Fort Collins

Established: 1982

Reservations/Appointments: Required

Staff Size: 50+ people

Average Duration of Services: 2–4 hours

Brands Used: Hyside Rafts, NRS rafting gear, Carlisle/Caviness paddles

Handicap Accessible: Yes, but only if strong swimming abilities and able to paddle vigorously.

Parking: Parking lot

Most Popular Attraction/Offering: Whitewater rafting, kayaking, rentals

Recommended Age Group: 12 to 65, Call for current water conditions and minimum age restrictions.

Q&A with Robert Breckenridge, Owner

Apart from your business's main attraction, do you offer any "hidden" services or activities that visitors are always delighted to learn about?

We have the greatest variety of trips and times on the Poudre River. We have three sizes of rafts (large, medium, and small) corresponding to the changing water levels during the summer to keep the excitement level high. Our guides are very experienced, lively, and considered the friendliest on the river. This is [my] 39th year with the [business]. I have been rafting and kayaking on the Poudre and other rivers around the country and the world since the early '70s. We excel at offering our guests a great time on the river.

When and how did you first develop a passion for your work?

As a student at Maryville College, I started canoeing in the Appalachian Mountains of east Tennessee. After seeing a John Denver concert, I traveled west and discovered the Colorado Plateau and fell in love with the country. I transferred to Colorado State University immediately, where I studied biology, and during my first summer in Colorado, I took a rafting trip and got the river fever. From there I became a Class V kayaker traveling everywhere to experience new rivers, did a stint as a river ranger in the high deserts of Utah, and became a high school biology teacher for a few years. I then returned to CSU to start a graduate degree when I realized just how special the Poudre River really was. My Shangri-la was right in front of me, and I hadn't even realized it. So I built my house on the river and started my rafting and kayaking business on the Poudre, which I'm still enjoying to this day.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Seeing the radiant smiles and excitement of our guests when they experience and return from their River Adventure.